Fire-escape.



No. 745,140. PATENTED.NOV.24, 1903. F. BIELHEN. 4

FIRE ESCAPE.

No MODEI. AAPPLIUTION FILED MAR. 23, 1903. 3 SHEETS-SHEET Il o Y i no y Jgd I? 4 '6263/ Je If d 'l )l Z'efe; l /4/ Zzyemm'g l' f 'c f 376077750? e ze;

fr? 72- /J v PATENTED NOV. 24, 1903.

E. BIELHEN.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION-ULEB 1111.11.23, 190s.

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No. 745,140. PATENTBD Nov. 24, 1903. P.' BIBLHBN. PIRE ESCAPE.

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ivo. 745,146.

UNI-*IED vSTATES atented November 24, 1903'.

PATENT OFFICE.

FREDRICK RIELHEN, oF ST. LoUIS, MISSOURI, AssIeNoR rio AMERICAN FIRE ESCAPE COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS,

SOURI.

MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MIS- FIRE-ESCAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 745,140, dated November 24, 1903. Application ined March 23, 1903. serial No. 149,096. (no model.)

To MZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDRICK BIELHIIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, formingpart of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is an elevational view of the fire` escape as in position on a building. Fig. 2 is a section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on line 3 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a plan view of a landing at a story in line below the windows. Fig. 5 is a section on line 5 5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is an exaggerated elevational View of the lower portion of the central supporting-column with steps attached and partially broken away for purposes of better illustration of cooperating parts in their operative relations. Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7 7 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a side elevation similar to Fig. 6, showing the supporting-column attached to the building-Wall. Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9 9 of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a section on the line 10 10 of said igure,

and Fig. 1l is a sectional view of the ladderv on line 11 1l.

This invention is an improvement upon the nre-escape shown and described in Let- .ters Patent No. 695,140, of March 1l, 1902, granted to me, and has for its object the production of that apparatus in an improved form.

In the manufacture of spiral stairways for use as fire-escapes many difficulties are encountered which are not provided for in theoretical designs intended for the purpose, among which are building regulations and property-lines which require the structures to be built of prescribed dimensions, but are not permitted to project `beyond certain fixed limits from the buildings to which they are attached. Again, some buildings are so constructed that the distance between landings must be varied to a greater or less extent,

l yet the apparatus should be so constructed as to permit ready access thereto and to the stairs leading downwardly from the several landings.

In modern building construction it is frequently found that the Wall of the groundv Hoor or first story, generally occupied by stores, is filled to such a large extent with glass that no convenient resting-place is provided for the lower supporting-bracket shown in the patent mentioned, and other support must be provided.

To support the standard A in the present construction, the lower end thereof is provided with the ilanged collar l, which has bolt-holes through the flange thereof at convenient intervals for attachingv to it the pot 2, which pot is best shown in Figs. 6, 8, and 10.

vBetween the building-wall B and the standard A is a horizontal pipe 3, preferably provided with a iiange 4 at one or both ends, and the pot 2 is provided with the offset 5, against which bears the outer end of said pipe 3, while the opposite end thereof bears against the building-wall, the rod 6 extending into said building-wall and into the said pot, as shown.

Extending obliquely downwardly from the building-wall is a rod or pipe 7, which loops under the rod 6 within thepot 2 and is preferably anchored within said building-wall, as by means of the anchors 8. The pot 2 is provided with vertically-extending slots or grooves 2a, which permit its being placedin position after the rod 6, pipe 3, and rod 7are positioned, after which the bolts or screws 10 form dimensions generally throughout the structure. Thus assuming the risers Lto be nine inches in height and the distance between landings to vary slightly the rear edge of the landing-step-will reach to various relative distances from an arbitrary line parallel with the wall of the building, and the risers must be reduced in height, which wouldbe very inconvenient in manufacture and more so to ICO persons hastily descending the spiral stairway in the confusion incident to a fire, or some means must be provided whereby the landing-plates may be projected to different distances from the building to meet with and be attached to the landing-tread of the last step leading to such landing. To place the structure as near the buiding as possible, it has been found desirable to break the continuity of the rail R between landings, as shown in Fig. l, wherein the rail couples to ,the post S, and said post is provided with couplings 'l and U, from which project horizontally to the building the short sections 37 and 37, secured, respectively, to the lefthand and right-haud sides of t-he intermediate platform P, extending to the Wall of the building. The said platform P may varyin width, according to the line of projection of the steps to which it is attached, and comprises, as shown, an intermediate filler-plate of one or more sections,which plate (or plates) is (or are) supported in position by reason of heilig riveted to the tread of the adjacent steps, and has an upwardly-projecting flange 38 for attachment to the riser of the next higher step. (See Figs. 2 and 3.) The intermediate platform or platforms between landings are formed of plates, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 6, and 8, with loops integral therewith and surrounding the standard A; but at the landings where the flanged couplings K occur the platform-plate P does not surround the standard, being let in between the flanges of said coupling, the meeting faces of which are slightly cut away for that purpose, as best shown in Figs. 6, 9, and lO. At landings the platform is extended laterally along the side of the building and above some of the steps of the spiral stairway, as shown in Figs. l and 4, the platform-plates being flanged at their outer edges and supported by angles 40, which terminate in extensions projecting into the building-wall, where they are properly anchored, and the platform being connected with the intermediate filler-plate P by means of the straps 41, to which both are bolted or riveted, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the apparatus forming the subject-matter of this invention may be made inl detached sections comprising a plurality 'of steps, which sections may he united at the point of application or at the building to whichit is attached, the several steps being of uniform height and, :regardless of the relative terminal point in the arc where the landing-step may occur in descending the spiral stairway, the gap between the rear edge of said step and a propel' arbitrary line parallel with the building may be filled with a platform-plate connected thereto and extending to the riser of the next step ascending. A proper arbitrary line should be at all times preserved as a stepping-off point from a platform to the steps descending, which line should be sufficiently remote from the building and substantially parallel therewith to permit of passage between the building-wall and the steps without danger of accident in descending, and in addition to thisline being at all times preserved with relation to the top step of a series the same general line'should govern with relation to the lowermost stop of the next higher flight of steps, all of which may be provided for by the landing-plates being connected to the uppermost step of one series and the lowermost step of the next higher series, the width of the plates being regulated by conditions which arise in practical application of the sections to a building.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a lire-escape, a spiral stairway made in detached sections wherein the continuity of said spiral is broken by interposed platforms connected therewith between sections thereof; substantially as described.

2. In a fire-escape, a spiral stairway made in detached sections wherein the continuity of said spiral is broken by interposed platforms connected therewith between sections thereof, and the risers of said stairway, in juxtaposition to said platforms, are maintained beyond a predetermined arbitrary line parallelwith the building-wall; substantially as described.

3. A ireescape comprising a spiral stairway, the parts of which are assembled in detached sections and united at the point of attachment by platforms connected with a tread of one section and a riser of the next higher section; substantially as described.

4. A re-escape comprising a spiral stairway made in sections properly arranged in conjunction with a central standard and united for use by means of a platform-plate connected with the tread of one section and the lower riser of the next section; substantially as described.

5. In a fire-escape, a spiral stairway formed in detached sections, a central standard upon which the members of said stairway are looped, and a platform-plate looped upon said standard and connected respectively to the tread of a stair of one section and the riser of the next higher step; substantially as described.

6. In a fire-escape, a cen tralstandard, stairs supported therefrom made in detached sections, and means cooperating therewith for preserving the landing-line ofthe sections a predetermined distance from the buildingwall; substantially as described.

7. In a tire-escape, a central standard, stairs supported therefrom made in detached sections, and means cooperating therewith for preserving the landing-line from the lowermost step of a section of said stairway a predetermined distance from the building-wall; substantially as described. t

8. In a fire-escape, acentral standard, stairs supported therefrom made in detached sec- IIO tions, and a platform coperating therewith for preserving the landing-line to and from said sections at predetermined distances from the building-wall; substantially as described.

9. In a fire-escape, a central standard, stairs supported therefrom made in detached fsections, and means coperating with said sections and forming a connection therebetween, for preserving the landing-line thereto and therefrom beyond a' predetermined distance from the building-wall; substantially as described.

10. In a spiral stairway adapted to be used as a tire-escape, means for supporting said stairway from the building at a point substantially in a plane with the lower end thereof, and braces extending from the said lower end to a higher plane; substantially as described.

11. In a spiral stairwayadapted to be used as adire-escape, means for supporting said stairway from the building at a point substantially in a plane with the lower end thereof, and braces extending from the said lower end to a higher plane and interlocking with said first-mentioned means; substantially as described.

12. In a spiral stairway adapted to be used as a tire-escape, means interlocking therewith for supporting said stairway from the building at a point ,substantially in a plane with the lower end thereof, and braces extending from the said lower end to a higher plane; substantially as described.

13. In a iire-escape, a central supportingcolumn, a spiral stairway made in detached sections, with tread portions provided with inwardly-extended means surrounding said column, and wherein the continuity of said spiral is broken at intervals by interposed platforms connected with said tread portions; substantially as described.

14. In a fire-escape, a central supportingcolumn, a spiral stairway made in detached sections, with tread portions provided with integral inwardly-extended means surrounding said column, and wherein the continuity of said spiral is broken at intervals by interposed platforms connected with said tread portions; substantially asdescribed.

15. In a tire-escape, a central supportingcolumn, supporting means therefor, connected with the lower end portion thereof, a spiral stairway made in detached sections, tread portions comprising a portion of said stairway, which tread portions are provided with supporting means surrounding said central column, a platform-plate connected with said spiral stairway between superimposed sections thereof and connected with said spiral stairway; substantially as described.

16. In a fire-escape, a central supportingcolumn, supporting means therefor connected with the lower portion of said column, a spiral stairway made in detached sections, platforms between said superimposed sections whereby the continuity of the spiral is broken, and means for connecting said platforms with the upper step of one section and with a riser of the next higher section; substantially as described.

17. In a fire-escape, a central supportingcolumn, supporting means therefor connected therewith near its lower portion, a spiral stairway made in .detached sections wherein the continuity of the spiral is broken by means of interposed platform-plates, platform-plates connected respectively with a tread portion of one section and a riser of the next adjacent section, and supporting means for said platform-plates; substantially as described.

18. In a spiral stairway adapted to be used as a tire-escape, a central column adapted to serve as a support for said stairway, means whereby said column is supported by a building in substantially the plane of the lower end of said column, and braces extending to the building-wall above the lower end of said column; substantially as described.

19. In a fire-escape, a spiral stairway made iu detached sections, and a platform connecting the uppermost tread portion of one section with the lowermost riser of the nextY higher section, said platform being of diderent area than the area of said tread, whereby the continuity of the spiral is broken; substantially as described.

20. In a tire-escape made in detached sections, a sectional' central standard, coupling means therefor, a sectional spiral stairway supported by said central column, and platforms interposed between the sections of said stairway, which platforms are connected with the lowermost riser of one sectionandthe tread of the next lower section, said platform being of greater area than the area of a single tread portion of said stairway; substantially as'described.

21. In a fire-escape, a central standard, stairs supported therefrom, made in detached sections, the tread portions whereof are of substantially uniform area, and a platform of a different area interposed between sections of said stairway, and connected respectively with the uppermost tread of a lower section and a riser of the next higher section; substantially as described.

v22. In a fire-escape made in detached sections, a spiral stairway, including tread portions all ot' which are of substantially uniform area throughout each section, and an interposed platform whose area varies from the area of said tread portions, said platform being connected with a plurality of sections of said stairway; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afx my signature, in the presence of two witnesses, this 21st day of March, 1903.

FREDRIOK BIELHEN.`

Witnesses:

GEORGE 'BAKEWELL, FREDERICK H. GIBBS.

IOO

IIO 

